'Gainst every foe their land defended,
Their hoards and homes. The foes were fallen, 10
Folk of the Scots and men of the ships,
Fated they fell. The field ran thick[1]
With heroes' blood, when the risen sun
At morning-time, the mighty orb,
Shone o'er the earth, bright candle of God, 15
Eternal Lord, till the noble creature
Sank to his rest. There many men lay
Struck down[2] with spears, men from the North,
Shot o'er the shield, and Scotsmen too,
Weary [and] war-filled. The West-Saxons forth 20
The live-long day with legions of warriors
Pressed on the heels of the hostile foes;
They felled the fleers with force from behind
With sharp-ground swords. Shrank not the Mercians
From hard hand-play with any of heroes, 25
Of those who with Anlaf o'er welling of waves
On the deck of the ship had sought the land,
Fated for fight. Five of them lay
On the battle-field, young kings [they were],
Slaughtered[3] with swords, and also seven 30
Earls of Anlaf, and unnumbered host
Of seamen and Scots. There was forced to flee
The Northmen's chief, by need compelled
To the prow of his ship with few attendants.
Keel crowded[4] the sea, the king went forth 35
On the fallow flood; he saved his life.
There too the agèd escaped by flight
To his home in the North, Constantínus.